Theme # 26: Quill


Lily had waited, for this moment. She had envied her brothers as the Hogwarts Express carted them off to a school she had never been able to see, sulked after they departed.

But it was her time, now. Tomorrow, she would climb into the Hogwarts Express for the first time, and allow it to lead her to her dream school. It was no wonder, then, that the eleven year old was ecstatic.

"Do you like this one, honey?" Ginny asked, as she picked up a blue quill.

"Red-and-gold," Lily said, decisively. "I'm going to be like daddy."

Theme # 27: Owl


"Life changes, doesn't it, Harry?"

Harry looked up. She was right, he knew. Tears and laughter remain, but the wheels of time change the reasons. Life was made up of joys and sorrows of a different kind, now: a night out, James's new owl, Albus's sorting, Lily's broken doll.

"It does."

She smiled, a soft, little smile; and, placing a hand on his forearm, kissed him. Harry kissed her back, arms rising to wrap her in the familiar warmth they both loved and cherished.

"You know," he said, as he pulled away. "Some things never change."

Theme # 28: Timeturner


"You two BROKE 'em TAIIIIME-TURNERS?"

James bounced up and down, as he spoke. Ginny, seated in the midst of the semi-circle, glanced at Harry in familiar, you shouldn't have fashion.

Harry accepted his mistake, with an inclination of his head that only she understood - in fact, only she paid attention to. Because the kids were round-eyed, staaaaring at their parents.

"It was... an accident?" Harry offered. Trust James to pick the one point in his narrative that he had thought unimportant, for elaboration.

"It was not!" James snickered. "You go, Pops and Momz!" You two go!"

Theme # 29: Pensieve


Holding on to Harry's arm, Ginny took a step forward. She had allowed the kids to blindfold her, and had little idea where she was being led to, now.

"You can take the blindfold off now, mummy!" Lily said, clinging on to her other arm, ten minutes later.

"Allow me, m'lady," Harry grinned, as he untied it.

Illumination. It rained in, flooded the place. The hall was full of rainbow colours and sparkles, a gorgeous display full of glittering twinkles. In front of her, stood a gold-and-silver pensieve, beautifully wrought.

"Happy birthday, mummy!"

"Happy birthday, Gin."

Theme # 30: Feast


"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER!"

"Hide me," James grinned. He did not wait for anyone to, however. Seconds later, the seventeen year old had disappeared under the Gryffindor table. From the other side of the hall, Albus Severus grinned as he watched a red mane of hair whip into sight.

Few people were paying attention to the feast, now.

"James Potter!" Lily bent down, grabbed James by the collar, and shook him. Hard. "Wait till mother and father hear about this!" Shaking him again, and wishing she could wipe the grin off his face [yes, it was still, there] she stormed off.

Theme # 31: Dress robes


The Draco that looked back at him, out of the mirror, could have been a perfect person. Fine-boned, jaw strong, eyes steel-like, there was no fault in the appearance.

"You look good."

He turned around, his black dress robes billowing behind him, touched up by the wind that breezed in, through the half-open window. "I know."

She looked at him, he looked at her, and an outsider would not have been able to finger what was right, or wrong, in the air between. There was understanding - more than one level of respect - even love.

They were Malfoys.

Theme # 32: Common room


Draco Malfoy was not the kind of father you would expect to read to his son. But that was exactly what he was doing, right now.

"Love." She placed a hand on his shoulder.

Draco closed the book, little Scorpius now asleep, and looked up at Astoria. Her eyes, large and lovely, were fixed on the book. The cover bore a large, Slytherin emblem and, though she did not know it, the page he had been reading about, spoke of the Slytherin common room. Of the house.

"I understand, now," she said, softly.

"Perhaps you still don't," he replied.

Theme # 33: Classroom


"Mr. Malfoy."

Scorpius clamped a hand on the plastic 'top' next to him. "Yes, sir?"

"You are required at the Headmaster's office." Professor Flitwick waved the note he had just received, about.

"I don't know the password, sir," the thirteen year old said, as the 'top' struggled to get out of his hand. Clamping it to his side, Scorpius smiled at Professor Flitwick, a perfectly innocent smile.

"I believe you will find your parents, there."

Scorpius let go of the 'top,' in his surprise. It scuttled away, clinging to the classroom window and emitting a robotic squeak.

Oops.

Theme # 34: Parseltongue


"Hiiissss."

Astoria poked her head, into Scorpius's room. Her eleven year old son, scheduled to attend Hogwarts next month, lay on the bed on his stomach, legs in the air and a plastic serpent placed in front of him.

"Scorpius?"

The boy looked up. He had his father's chin, his father's hair, his father's built - and her eyes. "Please excuse me for the moment, mum," he said, politely. "I have business to attend to."

Astoria resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Cut that out, Scorp. You are not a Parseltongue."

"Yet," the boy replied, cheerfully.

Theme # 35: Pureblood


In the dim light, she could see his profile, sharp as steel, handsome as ever. She stood in the doorway, one hand gently holding each side of the silver tray, until he noticed she was there.

"Astoria." He rose to his feet. "Everything alright?"

She came in, set the tray down, and frowned. "I think so," she said. "Draco - do you think, should we - our values --" Her words was firm, but dubious.

Purebloods. Mudbloods. Snakes. Lions. Contradictions, contradictions, contradictions. "No," he said, tones sure. "I don't think Scorpius deserves that, Astoria."

"But our val -"

"We did not make them. "

Theme # 36: Muggle


"You are dating whom?"

Scorpius looked his mother in the eye.

"Lily Potter."

Astoria looked at him, icily. He could tell she was far from angry - had she been that, he would have known. But what she felt, he could not fathom. She turned on her heel. "Draco!"

Draco stepped into the room. "Love?"

"He's dating Lily Potter! He could have dated a muggle-born, and shocked me less!"

There was a moment of unbearable, nerve-wracking silence. "Father -" Scorpius began, nervously.

"Your love life is not my concern, Scorpius."

The matter was not brought up again, that summer.

Theme # 37: Animagus


"Draco."

He took her hand, raised it to his lips. Astoria felt felt him rest it against his cheek. Then she had flung her arms around her neck.

"I love you."

He grinned, a mischievous grin she did not see him sport often, now. "I know, darling. Shall we go downstairs?"

She glared. "Not unless you tell me why you've thrown this party."

"Our son is an animagus, now. Is that not cause enough for celebration?"

She let him lead her downstairs, let him whisk her into a breathtaking dance. But there was more to it, Astoria could tell.

Theme # 38: Patronus


"Expecto Patronum!"

Draco grabbed his son's arm, and held it straighter. "Like this." There was no feeling in his tones. Only cold instruction. "I expected better of you, Scorpius."

Scorpius raised an eyebrow. "I'm fourteen."

"I have," Draco said, icily. "Known thirteen year olds perform that spell. Not another word from you," he added, warning in his tones, as Scorpius opened his mouth to response.

The Snake clamped his mouth shut. "Expecto -" He paused, quitte certain a Patronus was beyond him, at this point. "Don't you and mother have somewhere to go?"

"SCORPIUS HYPERION MALFOY!"

"Alright, alright."

Theme # 39: Duel


Scorpius sat in the bleachers, of his father's private duelling arena. The thirteen year old had yet to understand why his parents thought it perfectly alright to duel each other. He could not understand her love for a good duel, that fierce look in her eyes, or his excellence at it, the quick reflexes he prided on.

"Father! Mother!"

The two broke off, mid-bow, to look at him.

"I don't get this," Scorpius said. "What if he takes our your eye? Or she -" He looked at Draco. "Breaks your ribs?"

"Hasn't happened yet," Astoria said, cheerfully.

Theme # 40: Spell


"Draco, He's so... small."

She sat up, clinging to Scorpius. It seemed to him as if she was under a spell, in a trance. Her eyes were wide, almost disbelieving, as she looked at the baby boy she held on to.

He placed the giant bouquet by her side, and sat down. It was impossible for him to put in words what both of them meant to him. In a loose sort of way, he wrapped his arms around her, the baby in between them.

"I'm glad you're happy," was all he could say in the end.

Theme # 41: Thestrals


"FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY!"

"Yes, dad!"

"Here, dad!"

"Is everything alright, dad?"

"Did Ronniekins do something again, dad?"

"He looks like he's seen a thestral, dad."

"Would you like some soup, dad?"

"Or maybe some salad, dad?"

"STOP IT!"

Fred and George fell quiet, immediately. Arthur Weasley allowed his legs to carry him to the couch. There, one arm around his youngest son, he looked at the twins.

"I cannot believe," he said. "That you have been insensitive enough to scare your brother, about his upcoming sorting."

"You can't?" The twins asked.

"On second thought, I probably can."

Theme # 42: Portraits


Ten years of marriage later, Molly still wondered how many plugs her redheaded husband kept. It was spring, time to get rid of the odds-and-ends they did not need, and it seemed as if muggle!things seemed to have been stocked away, in every corner of the house.

"Arthur." Molly sounded impatiently patient.

Her husband looked up, from the sofa. He had a nine year old Bill at his side, and was showing him how muggle portraits are inanimate, but can be made to move.

"Dear?"

"Do you want to keep this?"

She held up a muggle toaster.

Theme # 43: Headmaster


She had been shaken awake, by Professor McGonagall. Ginny had sat up with a start, only to receive the news of her father's injury - injuries. She had scrambled into the nearest pair of slippers, and rushed out of the common room -- only to run into Fred and George, both clearly shaken awake a minute or two ago, too.

"It will be alright," Fred said, the moment she opened her mouth to speak. He placed a hand on hers. "We're going to the Headmaster's Office, we need to hurry."

She looked up at him, eyes dark, and nodded.

Theme # 44: Ford Anglia


Fred and George stepped out of the Ford Anglia and, with slow, sneaky steps, climbed into the house.

Climbed.

It happened, all of it, by mutual agreement. Fred opened the window, George heaved him up, Fred helped the latter in after himself, and George closed the window. Quietly, the twins crept on to the dark landing. They passed it, climbed a staircase, reached their bedroom door, and opened it.

-- Only to find illumination flood the room, the moment they did so; and Molly and Percy Weasley cross their arms across their chests, identical looks of livid disapproval on their faces.

Theme # 45: Torch


"Gin, don't."

Ginny paused, to consider Orla Kirke. The two of them had been close for years. Ginny could not pinpoint the moment things had begun to change, but they had; and now, in her last year of study at Hogwarts, she knew only too well that the friendship was dead - Orla was too scared to take a step against the death eaters, and hindered Ginny greatly, too.

"Please, Orla."

"What will your parents say?" Orla tried a new line of attack.

Ginny ensured her torch was on her, and met Orla's challenging gaze.

"They'll be proud."

Theme # 46: Dungeon


Little Ronald had never been to a beach, before. Or perhaps he had. But the six year old certainly had no previous memories, of such a trip - and the sand, the footprints, the little huts and the tall umbrellas, delighted him now.

"What you doing, Fled?" He askedr. "What you doing, Geolge?"

Fred and George, little devils even at the age of almost eight, exchanged meaningful glances. "We're building a sand dungeon," the former said. "To lock you up in," the latter added, quite cheerfully.

Ron staaaared at the twins, wide-eyed, and was mercifully picked up by Molly.

Theme # 47: Portkey


"Should we arrange portkeys?" Bill sounded worried. The arrangements, so far, had gone smoothly. But the latest problem to raise its head seemed the hardest to tackle - safe passage.

"For Fluer's family?" Ginny sounded lightly scathing. Lightly. She knew when to tone down the sarcasm - especially where Bill was concerned. He was her favourite brother. "I don't see why -"

"You're biased," Ron interjected, arms folded against his chest as he made his point.

"Am not!" Ginny flared.

"Am not! Am, too!" Fred and George snickered.

"Kids," Arthur said, patiently.

"Quiet, or out of the room!" Molly declared.

Theme # 48: Leprechaun


"Leprechaun gold."

"Fake."

The first voice was Fred's, the second George's. Both looked stubborn, both a little angry - both quite uncharacteristic, because of that last part, the frustration.

Charlie raised both hands, as if for silence. Fred and George were intelligent, he knew, but he was by far the most level-headed of the immediate Weasley clan, and perhaps that was why they had sought his help. He certainly knew rash decisions would not help his brothers' case.

"I think you should write to father," he began. "It sounds like the -"

"No!" Fred and George said, at once.

Theme # 49: Yule Ball


"Neville. I'm going with Neville,'Mione. I didn't see how else I would be allowed to attend the ball."

"She turned me down! Turned me down, right away! I made a total fool of myself, I have no idea what came over me - I - Harry, are you even listening?"

"I'll ask Alicia, no problem."

"Sure. I'll ask Angelina."

*

Molly returned to the living room, arms no longer full of parcels. She had sent off the last minute things she felt her kids might need, for the upcoming Yule Ball.

"I hope they'll have fun, Arthur."

Theme # 50: Boggart


"'Morning, Charl."

"Bill."

The two half-embraced. Bill sat down, hair tied into the usual ponytail. Charlie had cut his crop - though the new looked suited him as much as the previous one had.

"Do you want to go home now?" Bill asked. "Or later?"

Charlie pondered. Their parents didn't know the two planned to visit. Ron, Ginny and the twins would arrive, back from Hogwarts, a few hours later. Percy? God knew what he was up to. Thin-bottomed cauldron, or boggart scares, or something.

"You up for a wizards' night out?"

Bill grinned. "You read my mind."